Thanksgiving Day is filled with many traditions — carving the turkey, naming reasons to be thankful and eating enough food to feed a small army.
Associate professor of food stamp nutrition education Annrose Guarino said there are many reasons why people overeat during Thanksgiving.
Guarino said some people fast before their Thanksgiving Day meal because they know they are going to consume a large amount of calories. They often skip breakfast and lunch to accommodate for an excess of calories later in the day.
She said when a person skips a meal, his or her body moves into hunger mode and the stomach sends signals to the brain. She said people tend to eat faster and larger quantities when they are hungry. They are only thinking about stopping the hunger, rather than appropriate portion sizes.
“It takes a little while for your brain to get the message when you’re full,” Guarino said.
Guarino said it could take up to 20 minutes for the body to realize it is full, depending on what a person is eating. She said many times people don’t know they are overeating until it is too late.
She said a person’s metabolism slows down when he or she doesn’t eat, and when food is finally eaten, calories aren’t burned as rapidly.
Guarino said another reason people may overeat is because they want to indulge in tasty treats typically reserved for holidays.
She said someone at a social setting with appetizers may easily consume 200 to 400 calories from cheeses and hors d’oeuvres before even starting the meal.
And the large variety of food doesn’t help when it comes to portion control. Guarino said students should stick to very small portions if they want to taste everything. She recommends dotting a plate with thumb-size servings, similar to an hors d’oeuvres tray.
Guarino suggested filling a plate on Thanksgiving Day halfway with fruits and veggies, one-fourth with lean meat (skin and fat removed) and one-fourth with starches.
She said it’s important for people to think about what they’re eating as they put food on their plate. A creamy broccoli and cheese casserole is going to contain more calories than a simple vegetable dish containing broccoli.
Guarino said the word “SoFAS” is an effective way to remember types of food to avoid. “SoFAS” stands for sodium, fats and added sugars. While everyone should try to ionize their intake of these, Guarino said people with hypertension, or high blood pressure, need to be especially cautious of sodium levels.
She recommends drinking plenty of fluids as another preventative measure. Holiday drinks containing alcohol or coffee are dehydrating.
“If you drink a glass of water before you start eating, you will feel your fullness sooner,” Guarino said.
Guarino had a few suggestions for those who want to reduce the number of calories in holiday dishes without sacrificing taste.
She said cooks can take a traditional dish, such as green bean casserole, make it with fat-free cream of mushroom soup rather than the original, and substitute fried onions topping with unfrosted corn flakes or salty granola.
She also recommended using low-fat sour cream or substituting it with low-fat plain yogurt.
Though Thanksgiving isn’t a routine meal and the foods served are traditional, Guarino the holiday should not be an excuse to overeat.
As part of reinforcing a healthy lifestyle, Guarino said to encourage activities in which family members are active, like going for a walk or dancing.
“Be active as part of the family tradition,” she said.
She said there are even a series of “sit and be fit” exercises designed for senior citizens or people with physical injuries who may have limited mobility.
She said these arm raises aren’t aerobic, but they improve flexibility.
For students who are spending Thanksgiving Day away from home, Guarino said to avoid buffets, where the majority of people tend to overeat. She suggested splitting an entree and bringing home any leftovers to eat for another meal.
 
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Contact Haylie Navarre at [email protected]